AI makes human intelligence more important, not less 

Almost none ask the question that will ultimately determine whether AI delivers value: “Are we investing in the human advantage: our brains?”  

In today’s workforce, access to technology is no longer the differentiator—human capability is. As AI transforms work in an era of compounding disruption and uncertainty, organizations will increasingly rely on employees who excel in qualities like resilience, empathy, and creativity. But the pace of change brought about by AI threatens to dull these capabilities, just when they are needed most. Recent research by the McKinsey Health Institute and the World Economic Forum argues that the winners in the AI era will invest in “brain capital” with the same ambition that they bring to technology.  

Brain capital is an economic asset as essential as physical or financial capital. It is built on two foundations. “Brain health” refers to a state of optimal brain functioning, supported by prevention and treatment of mental, neurological, and substance use conditions. “Brain skills” are the cognitive, interpersonal, self-leadership and technological literacy abilities that enable people to adapt, innovate, and lead. The two elements are interdependent; better brain health supports stronger brain skills, and vice versa.   

Given rising medical costs and sharp increases in brain-related disability burden, the economic case for building brain capital is stronger than ever. The McKinsey Health Institute has estimated that addressing brain health conditions through known interventions could generate up to $6.2 trillion in cumulative global GDP by 2050 annually, while reclaiming millions of years of healthier life. And this only scratches the surface—true economic impact stands to be even higher when considering what future scientific breakthroughs could achieve.  

But that is only the start. In business, companies that develop their workforce’s brain capital will have stronger, more agile, and more productive workforces. Employers that proactively invest in employee health, including brain health, could boost global GDP by 12%. Individually, employees with stronger overall health report that they are more innovative, with improved performance and work-life balance. And the need for people to work well with AI—an element of “brain skills”—is an important piece of the AI transformation puzzle.  

In many ways, employers already understand this. In a 2025 WEF global survey, employers estimated that 59% of employees will need new skills by 2030. Of the top 10 most desired attributes for the future; brain skills such as curiosity and analytical thinking accounted for six of them. Learning and adapting skills for tomorrow’s workplace will depend on strong, healthy brains.  

Building brain capital, then, is a competitive advantage; indeed, it should be seen as a strategic leadership priority so that human intelligence and AI can work together to boost productivity and performance. Even when leaders recognize this, however, they often don’t know where to begin. Here are three approaches that can help.  

First, provide support to help employees improve their brain capital. For example, digital nudges can remind them to take breaks, helping people sustain energy and focus. Brain health literacy for managers can help them identify risk and protective factors in the workplace to better support teams. Research has found that training that addresses psychological flexibility is associated with greater stress resilience, less burnout, and improved sense of personal accomplishment.  

Second, embed AI into workflows, rather than mapping it to individual tasks or pilot programs that are piled onto other work. AI-native workflows that consider cognitive ergonomics can help employees learn new skills, practice tasks that matter, and manage cognitive load. This helps employees build confidence, not only in the new tools but in their ability to use them. There’s a lot of room for improvement here: last year, only 1% of leaders reported that AI was fully integrated into their ways of working.  

Finally, redesign work systems such as meeting norms and targets in a way that fosters brain capital. Ensure people have time for thinking, learning, and experimenting. The goal is to forge true partnerships between people, agents, and robots. For example, an organization might use AI for scheduling, translations, or administrative tasks, while people remain responsible for communication, mentoring, and critical thinking—the things that matter most for trust and performance. 

AI can deliver a lot for business, and for humanity at large—but only if humans remain at the center.  Organizations that invest in technology while neglecting brain capital will find themselves constrained not by algorithms, but by insufficient attention, leadership, and adaptability. Those that systematically invest in building brain capital, on the other hand, will be better equipped to innovate, retain top talent, and thrive. 

The organizations that win won’t be the ones using AI the most, but the ones powered by people with brains healthy and skilled enough to use it to its full potential.  

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